Sandbox III: Revenge of the Sandbox

If you are not certain that the audience will like your draft, consider getting the basic concept reviewed and polished up in the Ideas and Brainstorming Forumbefore writing out the full piece. When you have a draft ready for feedback, bring it to the Drafts and Critiques Forum. Please note that the mainsite-run IRC chatrooms are the most reliable source of real-time critique discussion.

SCP Sandbox

Please note that a standard sandbox can only be edited by the original author or a mod/admin. For collaborative pages, please read the instructions here.Sandbox titles should have the author name, not draft name. This helps make it clear at a glance who owns the page. Remember to click "Save" and NOT "Save Draft" when editing pages.

Special Containment Procedures:
The containment Room for SCP-XXXX Should have the following dimensions: 4 meters tall, 4 meters deep, 3.5 meters wide.
SCP-XXXX Must be contained in a room with concrete walls 1.5 meters thick, concrete floors 1.5 to 2 meters deep, and a 2 meter thick concrete ceiling, supported by thick, steel support beams stretching from the floor to the ceiling. SCP-XXXX should be securely fastened to the support beams. In addition, there must be a remote operated climate regulator, three sets of airlock doors where personnel are to be decontaminated (from ash and chemicals) in between, and there should also be 3 different air filters, (one installed in the ceiling, one installed directly behind SCP-XXXX, and one installed in the decontamination room.) The Air filters are to be checked weekly, and are to be cleaned monthly. The ceiling should also be plated with a .5 cm thick layer of titanium as to ensure that the heat and the smoke do not crack or damage the ceiling.
When entering the containment area, Hazmat suits are required.
If SCP-XXXX begins producing large amounts of smoke, the humidity of the room should be increased until SCP-XXXX ceases to produce smoke or until the humidity has been increased continuously for 25 minutes.
If SCP-XXXX continues to produce smoke for any longer than 45 minutes after Increasing the humidity, a minimum of two level 3 personnel should be sent in to empty and refill SCP-XXXX's storage and cooling tank with new water.
All personnel sent to refill the tanks are to keep physical contact with one another, as some side effects from the gas may alter the human mind's perception of reality (and cause vivid hallucinations in some cases).

Description:
SCP-XXXX has the appearance of a heavily edited water heater, with a tall, red light positioned on the top of a bar, that protrudes from the top of SCP-XXXX. No Brand names or stickers of any sort can been located on SCP-XXXX.
SCP-XXXX was found in an old Victorian era home that was condemned. The house had not been inhabited since the year 1923, and no prior records to SCP-XXXX or any other objects like it could be found.
Researchers have come to the conclusion that only one of its kind that have been confirmed to exist at the time of writing. SCP-XXXX was found on the planned date of it's demolition.
An interview was done with one of the two firemen that initially ventured inside the house.

Addendum XXXX-1: Initial exposure to SCP-XXXX's smoke has side effects of lightheadedness and minor involuntary muscle convulsions. Prolonged exposure (even with respirators) to the smoke will result in the following symptoms: Nausea, confusion, sweating, chills, increased heart rate, numbness of the limbs, decreased performance of basic motor skills, burning sensations (specifically to the eyes and skin), difficulty in breathing, disorientation, involuntary muscle spasms, weakness, exhaustion (More precisely, the urge to sleep),
and in some instances, vivid hallucinations.

Addendum XXXX-2: Chemicals excreted by SCP-XXXX are acidic and volatile. It may be able to be used for comercial purposes, but more testing is required first. Until further notice, however, all chemicals excreted by SCP-XXXX are to be cleaned up and destroyed.

Experiment XXXX-001:
An experiment was conducted on ¦¦/¦¦/¦¦¦¦, to determine whether or not SCP-XXXX was sentient or not. 2 subjects (equipped with hazmat suits) were sent into SCP-XXXX's containment cell at a time that SCP-XXXX was not producing any smoke. The subjects were ordered to enter the cell, and walk towards SCP-XXXX, until it began to produce smoke. When the subjects initially entered the cell SCP-XXXX gave no response. The subjects took several steps before the light on top of SCP-XXXX began to flash red. The subjects took a few more steps before SCP-XXXX let out a loud whistle and began to billow smoke. (SCP-XXXX has never been recorded to give any warnings of any sort before starting to produce smoke normally.)

Experiment XXXX-002:
Another experiment was conducted to learn more about SCP-XXXX's reactions to different stimuli. 2 [different] subjects equipped with hazmat suits were sent into SCP-XXXX's containment cell at a time that SCP-XXXX was not producing any smoke. The subjects were ordered this time to run towards SCP-XXXX until it started to produce smoke. The subjects entered the cell, and similar to the previous experiment, SCP-XXXX gave no initial response. The subjects began to sprint, and SCP-XXXX responded almost instantly with the light flashing red, the loud whistle and even started to billow smoke. The subjects were ordered to continue running toward it. They did so, and SCP-XXXX gave a new response in return. One red LED on the front and an array of yellow lights located around the side [that we had no prior knowledge of] flashed rapidly, before SCP-XXXX released an acidic chemical from a hatch located on the underside of SCP-XXXX. Subjects also reported seeing a silhouette of a man standing in front of SCP-XXXX demanding that they leave.

Interviewed: ¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦, Fire Chief of the ¦¦FD's ¦¦¦th Fire Brigade, about his first encounter with SCP-XXXX

Interviewer: Dr. Xallahin Lohaer

Foreword: Interview of Fire Chief, ¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦, on the events that occurred on ¦¦/¦¦/¦¦¦¦ pertaining to SCP-XXXX

<Begin Log, 4:35 AM ¦¦/¦¦/¦¦¦¦ >

Dr. Xallahin: Sorry for calling you over here so early in the morning ¦¦¦¦¦¦, but this was the soonest we could get you in here. But I'd like to get straight to the point. Could you tell me about when you first encountered SCP-XXXX?

¦¦¦¦¦¦: Uh yeah, sure thing Doc, it's no problem, my next shift in about 45 minutes so I would have already been awake anyway.
Let me start from the beginning….
We were all minding our own business, waiting for another person to call, when we got a call saying they needed us at a condemned house. It was real weird, we got there and the first thing we see is a whole bunch of smoke pouring out of the building. Funny thing is, the house was structurally sound in every way on the inside, but it was collapsing on the outside. Anyways, we put on our respirators and protective gear for situations like these and went inside. Only two of us went in because we didn't want everyone inside if it collapsed in on us. I remember feeling lightheaded and shaky as soon as we got inside, even though we were wearing respirators and everything, I didn't know what to think about that, but we continued on into the basement and the smoke got thicker. at that point I started to feel REALLY sick. But I figured that It was just some sort of bug that I caught from someone. We got down to the basement and we still didn't see any flames, but when we got down there I felt awful and incredibly sick. I had no idea what was going on and I felt like I was going crazy doc, completely INSANE!

Dr. Xallahin: Could you explain to me a bit more thoroughly your symptoms? Tell me everything you can, even if it seems unimportant.

¦¦¦¦¦¦: I could try. I was nauseous, my limbs went numb, I felt confused and dizzy. Even though I was wearing protection, my skin and eyes burned! It was almost like there was something eating away at me! I felt weak and tired and I wanted to sleep, and it got harder and harder for me to keep my eyes open the longer I was down there. I couldn't tell which way was which, or whether I was even moving or not. I remember sweating a lot even though it felt cold down there; it gave me goosebumps and it started getting harder for me to breathe, and then I realized that the respirators and all the rest of my protection wasn't doing [REDACTED]! I started to feel all shaky and unable to control my body. I also remember hearing voices in my head and I remember that the whole lot of it just made me so angry that I just started screaming and swinging at things randomly.

Dr. Xallahin: Interesting, do you remember what the voices were saying?

¦¦¦¦¦¦: Get out.

Dr. Xallahin: Pardon me?

¦¦¦¦¦¦: They, the voices, kept telling us to get out. It's not your home. Get out, get out. You don't belong. Get out, get out. Leave us alone. Get out, get out of our home.

Dr. Xallahin: Intriguing. Did your partner ever claim to hear the same thing?

¦¦¦¦¦¦: I don't know, I do remember him saying something about someone else being there inside with us.

Dr.Xallahin: If that's all you have to say on that aspect of it, then I'd like to ask you a few more questions about your symptoms.

¦¦¦¦¦¦: Fine with me doc, ask away.

Dr. Xallahin: Did your symptoms persist after you got outside?

¦¦¦¦¦¦: Well, now that you mention it, when we got outside the symptoms pretty much went away immediately.

Dr Xallahin: OK, do you know if your partner ever talked about, or experienced the same symptoms?

¦¦¦¦¦¦: Yeah, we talked about the whole thing to each other on our way back.

Dr. Xallahin: Alright, could you tell me about how you actually discovered SCP-XXXX?

¦¦¦¦¦¦: Yeah. My partner and I tried to get out of the house as soon as we could, and told them that they were clear for demolition. They destroyed the house, and the smoke cleared… I mean, for the most part…
A few minutes later we saw it. It kinda looked like something you would see in a comic book or a movie. It kind of looked like a water heater, but it didn't. It wasn't plugged into ANYTHING in any way, shape, or form either. No water going into it, there was no fire burning under it or around it, and there wasn't an electricity intake either.

Dr. Xallahin: I see. Well then, I guess that is all, thank you for your time. You may leave now.

¦¦¦¦¦¦: No problem, I hope that answered all your questions.

<End Log, 4:42 AM ¦¦/¦¦/¦¦¦¦>

Closing Statement: ¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ left the site immediately after the interview. All details of, or about, the interview remained hidden from the press and the public.

Addendum XXXX-3:
SCP-XXXX Has been much more active lately, sometimes voices can be heard coming from SCP-XXXX's cell when walking by. It may be possible to communicate with SCP-XXXX. It may be that SCP-XXXX is sapient, and not just sentient.

Interviewed: SCP-XXXX

Interviewer: Dr. Xallahin Lohaer

Foreword: An interview has been scheduled with SCP-XXXX due to its sudden increase in activity, and its shown ability to communicate.

<Begin Log, 11:45 PM ¦¦/09/¦¦¦¦>

Dr. Xallahin: Hello? Are you able to understand me?

SCP-XXXX: …

Dr. Xallahin: I am only here to talk to you, not to harm you.

SCP-XXXX: (in a quiet, muffled tone) why did you take us?

Dr. Xallahin: excuse me?

SCP-XXXX-1: (voice is slightly louder now. It sounds like the voice of a young woman.) You could have left… We were fine where we were…. then you came along and… took us….

Dr. Xallahin: You were in a condemned building. You were in danger there.

SCP-XXXX-1: We may have been in a condemned building, but you're in a condemned world.

SCP-XXXX-1: We could have been free… It could have ended there… but then we had second thoughts… have you ever been in that situation Doctor?

Dr. Xallahin: What do you mean? And what situation?

SCP-XXXX-1: We could have let the house crash down on us… We could have been gone and never had to worry about this wretched place again… But it was our home… What were we supposed to do?… We wanted to save it… we had to choose between freedom, or to continue to exist in this world… So have you been faced with that situation Doctor?…

Dr. Xallahin: No. I haven't.

SCP-XXXX-1: I didn't think so.

Dr. Xallahin: Who are you?

SCP-XXXX-1: Ordinary people… trapped inside a machine… tormented…

SCP-XXXX-2: (the voice changes to a man's voice.) But that wouldn't matter to you… You're a doctor that doesn't even care to help anyone, and we're just an object… A strange object… but an object nonetheless….

Dr. Xallahin: …

SCP-XXXX-2: See? You have nothing to say….

Dr. Xallahin: Is it possible for me to see all of you?

SCP-XXXX-2: …

SCP-XXXX-2: Why do you want to see us? It's not like you care…

Dr. Xallahin: I would like to see what you all look like.

SCP-XXXX-2: [SCP-XXXX Lets out a metallic groan] (whispering noises come from inside of SCP-XXXX) Fine… you can see us… or at least what's left of us….

[SCP-XXXX starts to billow smoke. When it's done, 4 silhouettes appear through the smoke. A woman, a man, and two children: a small boy, and his older sister.]

SCP-XXXX-2: You can see us now… Now what?

Dr. Xallahin: How did this happen?

SCP-XXXX-2: We don't know…

SCP-XXXX-1: but we're stuck inside it and we can't get out…

SCP-XXXX-3: [The silhouette of a little boy speaks] Mommy, Daddy can we go back inside?

SCP-XXXX-2: Yes son we may…

SCP-XXXX-1: we really must go… Thank you doctor for taking the time to talk to us…

[SCP-XXXX-1, 2, 3, & 4 vanish along with the smoke]

<End Log, 12:05 AM ¦¦/10/¦¦¦¦>

Closing Statement: This interview has been quite helpful. Many things have been learned from this interview. Testing on SCP-XXXX is being postponed until further notice. Please note that this postponement will not be permanent.

Addendum XXXX-5:
It has been noted that The entities are capable of breaching containment and causing extensive damage to the facility. In the event of a containment breach, all personnel are to evacuate the area of the building that the entity (or entities) are located, unless asked directly to stay and assist in the re-containment of said entities. Airlock doors are to be sealed to prevent the Entity/Entities from escaping further. Personnel tasked with the re-containment of the entity/Entities, are required to travel in teams of two or more. Personnel are asked to refrain from Provoking the Entity/Entities. the most effective way to go about containing the entity/entities is to politely ask them to return to their cell, while slowly and cautiously cornering the entity/entities to their cell.